Zero gravity toilet



Sept. 12, 1967 T CELLA 3,340,543

ZERO GRAVITY TOILET Filed April 8, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORRlCHARD T. CELLA 7 ATTORNEY Sept. 12, 1967 R. T. CELLA 3,340,543

ZERO GRAVITY TOILET Filed April 8, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 Sheets-Sheet5 Sept. 12, 1967 R. T. CELLA ZERO GRAVITY TOILET Filed April 8, 1965 5 M5 uw wwmwwwmmmww m x y i INVENTOR RICHARD T. CELLA ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent 3,340,543 ZERO GRAVITY TOILET Richard T. Cella, 35 ParkAve., New York, N.Y. 10016 Filed Apr. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 446,633 9Claims. (Cl. 410) This invention relates to toilets and moreparticularly to a toilet which is suitable for use in space capsulesunder zero gravity conditions or in hospitals for bed patients.

An object is to provide a toilet of the above type having novel andimproved characteristics.

Another object is to provide such a toilet with minimum spacerequirements and convenience.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature ofthe invention is more fully disclosed.

The nature of the invention will be better understood from the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in whicha specific embodiment has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a toilet embodying theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section showing the locating pad andflush ring;

FIG. 3 is a similar section showing the refuse bag and closure valve;

FIG. 4 is a similar transverse section showing the bag coupled to theflush ring for use;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5 showingthe construction of the flush ring and valve;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 5 showingthe construction of the closure valve and coupling ring for the bag;

FIG. 8 is a section similar to FIG. 4 showing the valves in openposition for use; and

FIG. 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8 showingthe closure valve in open position.

Referring to the drawing more in detail the invention is shown asembodied in a compact device comprising a positioning pad 10 on whichthe person sits. The pad 10 is formed with an upper surface 11 shaped toconform to the contour of the body with a pair of concave portions 12separated by a central rib 13. The pad has a central hole 14 which issurrounded on the upper surface of the pad by an inflatable sealing ring15. The ring is adapted, when inflated, to contact the body to form aneffective seal around the hole 14 of the pad. The ring 15 is connectedby a duct 16 to a valve panel 17 which forms a part of the equipment andis connected to an air cylinder 18.

A cylindrical housing 21 is disposed in the hole 14 and is fixed to thepad 10. The housing 21 is formed with a central bore 22 registering withthe hole 14 and forming a continuation thereof and has an annularpassage 23 communicating with the bore 22 by radial passages 24 to forma flush ring as will be described. The annular passage 23 is connectedto the valvepanel 17 to be connected thereby to the air supply bottle 18or to a water supply bottle 26 or to a bottle 27 containing cleansingfoam.

A valve 31 in the form of a tubular sleeve of suitable material has acircular upper end 32 attached to the inner surface of the bore 22 ofthe housing 21 in a position to hang downwardly Within the bore. Thesleeve 31 is composed of a material which is sufliciently resilient toassume and retain a flat ribbon form which at its lower end 33 is coiledup upon itself so that the sleeve normally forms a closure valve for thebore 22 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 but it may be opened and extended asshown in FIGS. 8 and 9 by the application of air pressure from the flushring 23.

A bag 41 as shown in FIG. 3 is carried by a coupling ring 42 having aninner surface formed with a resilient lip 43 adapted to snap over aresilient ring 44 carried on the outer surface of the housing 21 forcoupling the bag to the apparatus. The coupling ring 42 carries aclosure valve 45 in the form of a pair of inflatable, semi-circulardiaphragms 46 which are normally in contact along their diametric edges47 to form a closure for the bag 41 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Elasticstrips 54 extend along the edges 47 of the diaphragm 46, and carry adepending tube 55 through which the sleeve 31 extends when thediaphragms are in open position. The diaphragms 46 are connected bypassages 49 in the coupling ring 42 and a duct 50 to the valve panel 17to receive compressed air from the bottle 18. When air is supplied tothe diaphragms 46 their diametric edges 47 are drawn apart to form anopening to the bag 41 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The pad 10 and housing 21 are supported on a hollow base 51 within whichthe bag 41 is contained.

When the device is to be used the bag 41 is coupled to the housing 21,the pad and bag placed on the base 51 and the assembly brought intocontact with the body. By suitable manipulation of the valves 0n thevalve panel 17 the sealing ring 15 is inflated to provide a seal withthe body. Air is then applied to the valve diaphragms 46 to open thevalve 45 after which air is supplied to the flush ring 23 to cause thesleeve valve 31 to unroll and pass down through the open valve 45. Afteruse wash water or foam are supplied to the flush ring 23, air pressureis released from the diaphragms 46 and from the sealing ring 15 and theapparatus can be removed and uncoupled. When the sleeve 31 is withdrawnfrom the valve 45 it again flattens out and coils to form a closure forthe housing 21. Caps 52 and 53 may be placed over the open ends of thehousing 21 and the coupling ring 42 if desired.

What is claimed is:

1. A toilet for use under zero-gravity conditions comprising a padhaving a surface conformed to the shape of the body and having anopening therethrough, an annular housing containing a flush ringdisposed in said opening and adapted to be coupled to a receiver, andmeans supplying fluids under pressure to said flush ring.

2. A toilet as set forth in claim 1 in which a closure valve is carriedby said housing.

3. A toilet as set forth in claim 2 in which said valve comprises acollapsible sleeve.

4. A toilet as set forth in claim 1 in which an inflatable sealing ringis carried by said pad around said opening.

5. A toilet as set forth in claim 1 in which said receiver comprises abag having a coupling ring adapted to be coupled to said housing, saidcoupling ring having a closure valve for closing said bag.

6. A toilet as set forth in claim 5 in which said last valve comprises apair of semi-circular inflatable diaphragms having normally contactingdiametric edges to separate for forming a valve opening.

7. A toilet as set forth in claim 6 in which a collapsible sleeve valveis carried by said housing, said sleeve being normally flattened andcoiled but being adapted to pass 3 through said diaphragm valve inresponse to air pressure from said flush ring.

8. A toilet as set forth in claim 7 including a valve panel and meansconnecting a source of compressed air and a source of cleansing fluidselectively to said flush 5 ring.

7 '9. A toilet as set forth in claim 8 including a hollow base membersupporting said pad and adapted to contain said bag.

4 References Cited 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,749,558 6/1956 Lent et a14112 3,034,131 5/1962 Lent 490 3,158,874 12/1964 Bennett 4142 LAVERNE D.GEIGER, Primary Examiner. H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A TOILET FOR USE UNDER ZERO-GRAVITY CONDITIONS COMPRISING A PADHAVING A SURFACE CONFORMED TO THE SHAPE OF THE BODY AND HAVING ANOPENING THERETHROUGH, AN ANNULAR HOUSING CONTAINING A FLUSH RINGDISPOSED IN SAID